She's Sunshine, She's Grace, She'll Punch You in the Face

Chapter 24: Chasing the Nightmare Away

"No!" Marinette screams herself awake from her nightmare. Looking around, she finally realizes where she is and that it was just a dream. She puts her hand to her chest to try to slow her rapid heartbeat.

A few moments later, a soft knock comes at her door. "Angel? Are you okay?"

Sliding out of bed, she walks to the door to open it. "Hey, Damian. Sorry I woke you." Rubbing the sleep from her eyes, she finally gets a good look at what he was wearing and realizes that he's shirtless. Trying hard not to stare at his muscular body, she forces her eyes back to his.

"That's ok." He looks at her with concern. "What happened?"

"I, uh..." She looks down at his abs for a moment before looking back up at him. "I had a bad dream is all."

"Are you sure you're okay? You look kind of out of it."

Not wanting to tell him the real reason for her strange behavior, she just weakly nods at him. "I'll be okay once I calm down."

"Do you want me to stay with you until you fall back asleep?"

"Yes." She smiles up at him. "That sounds nice." Marinette opens up her door the rest of the way for him to enter. Kicking some stray clothing out of her way as she makes her way to the bed and gets in.

Damian leaves the door open as he follows her and Alfred the Cat sneaks his way in. Before he could sit on the edge of her bed, the cat jumps up there first.

"Oh, a kitty! I almost forgot about Alfred the Cat." She reaches out to scratch his head.

"Yeah, sometimes he's hard to find. He wonders all over the manor." He smiles at the cat playfully rubbing against Marinette's leg. "He's not much of a people person. This is an odd thing for him."

"That's what they said about you." She scoots over in her bed and pats the free spot next to her. "Come sit down. I wont bite." The bluenette grins at him.

"Are you sure?" He looks at the bed.

"Yeah."

Damian hesitantly climbs in bed next to her and Alfred the cat. The cat playfully pounces on his foot before running over to Marinette to curl up on her lap. "I think he likes you more than he likes me."

Marinette gently leans her head against his chest. "What? Are you jealous?"

Damian smiles down at the small girl leaning against him. "No. Should I be?"

"I guess not." The cat suddenly jumps off the bed and runs out the door. "Easy come, easy go."

"He doesn't stay in one place for long." Damian hesitantly wraps his arm around her to get more comfortable.

Marinette smiles at his arm over her shoulder and intertwines her fingers with his. "I really am sorry I woke you up."

"I don't mind, Angel. I wasn't really asleep anyways."

"What were you doing then?" She looks up at him.

"Just thinking." Damian smiles down at her.

"About?"

"Us."

"What about us?"

"I was just trying to figure out what we are."

"I get that." She nods. "I was wondering the same thing too." Marinette looks back up to the ceiling. "According to Lila, you two are already a couple." She giggles. "I would hate to break you two apart."

"Well she's delusional. There is nothing there to break apart." Damian shakes his head. "She's not even my type."

"You have a type, huh?"

"I do." He runs his free hand through her hair. "She has to be strong and have a smile that could light up the whole world. She has to know when to put people in their place how to do it. She also has to be selflessly brave and possibly a little bit too kind for her own good." Damian sees Marinette shift to look back up at him. "Plus, having an adorable French accent wouldn't hurt either. Neither would the most beautiful blue eyes I have ever seen."

Marinette blushes for a moment before reaching up to kiss him on the lips. The second time this happens is just as powerful as the first and Marinette hopes that she will never lose this feeling. Pulling away, she smiles softly at him. "You know, for a guy who says he's never done this before, you sure are a smooth talker." She pecks him on the lips again.

"I'm only being honest, Angel." He cups her cheek. "You know I just want you to be happy."

"You know what?" Marinette looks into his emerald green eyes. "I want YOU to be happy. I think you underestimate how beautiful and rare your smile is. I get butterflies every time I see it. Your happiness brings me happiness."

Damian smiles even brighter at her and finally asks the one thing that was on his mind. "Marinette, will you be my girlfriend?" He saw her shocked expression but continued anyways. "I know most people would probably tell us to give this some more time but I don't care. I can't find a single good reason to wait."

"I thought you would never ask." She grabs both sides of his face and leans in for another long kiss. "Yes." She breaks away, out of breath. "I would be happy to be your girlfriend."
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Alfred was just about wake up the household for breakfast when he rounded the corner and saw Jason, Tim and Dick all gathered around Marinette's door.

"What's going on?" He asks as he approaches.

"Shhh." All the boys replied.

"Come look." Dick waved him over. "But don't wake them." He whispered.

Looking inside the doorway, he saw Damian peacefully sleeping in Marinette's bed with Marinette herself quietly sleeping with her head on his chest. Alfred briefly smiled at the young couple before turning to the boys. "Breakfast will be ready in 15. Go get dressed." He shooed the boys away.

After they all dispersed inside their respective bedrooms, he turns to look at the two sleeping for a little bit longer before knocking on the doorframe. "Master Damian, Miss Marinette. Breakfast will be ready in 15. I suggest you get dressed."

Damian immediately wakes up at looks down at his chest at where Marinette is sleeping. He smiles for a moment before putting on a straight face. "Thank you, Alfred." He nodded to the butler as he walks off down the hall.

"Angel." He gently shakes the girls' shoulder. "You have to get up."

"No, Tikki. 5 more minutes." She mumbles into his chest.

Damian looks over to see Marinette's kwami's fly out of her bathroom. "Don't worry." Tikki smiles at the two. "We got this."

Damian nods and watches as her kwami's float a few inches above her head. They all take a deep inhale before screaming in unison "AKUMA!"

Damian had never seen someone move so fast. She quickly jumped up out of bed and looked around in a panic. "Where is it?" The bluenette said before becoming aware of her surroundings. "Oh." She relaxed. "Good morning, Damian."

"Good morning, Angel." He smiled at her messy hair. "Breakfast will be ready in a few minutes." Damian slid out of her bed.

"Right." She yawned. "I guess I have to get dressed."

"As do I." He started to walk out of her room. "Am I walking you to breakfast this morning?"

"You better." She smirked at him. "What kind of boyfriend would you be if you didn't?"

"Boyfriend?" They both heard Dick come running from down the hall. "Did I hear that correctly?" He sticks his head into the room.

"Alright." Marinette sighs. "Everyone get out." She pushed the boys out of her room. "It's too early for this. At least let me get dressed." She shuts the door the second they are in the hallway.

Looking over at her kwami's, she sees them looking at her like they want to say something too. "Not you either." She holds up her hand to stop them and walks to her suitcase to look through it. "I mean it. It's too early for this."